Strait of Hormuz; Artemis II; Savannah Guthrie; ADA : NPR
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At this time’s prime tales
President Trump has set a brand new deadline for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz. In a profane social media publish, he threatened to bomb Iran’s energy vegetation and bridges if the nation does not open the important thing waterway by 8 p.m. ET tomorrow. Final week, Trump stated that international locations reliant on oil coming by the Strait must safe it themselves. Civilian infrastructure is protected by worldwide regulation. Trump additionally introduced that U.S. forces on Sunday rescued a U.S. Air Power officer whose airplane was shot down in Iran.
President Donald Trump speaks within the Oval Workplace of the White Home earlier than signing an government order Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Washington.
Alex Brandon/AP
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Alex Brandon/AP
- 🎧 NPR’s Carrie Kahn is in Tel Aviv, the place she tells Up First that it has been a “very intense” morning. She says that the airspace is not as safe because the U.S. and Israel have stated it’s. A strike in Haifa has killed Israelis, and Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates have reported intercepting a number of missiles from Iran. There’s concern within the Gulf that its air protection methods will not have the ability to sustain if Iran escalates assaults. Iranian officers stated Trump has “resorted to obscenities and nonsense out of sheer desperation and anger.” The Iranian president’s spokesman stated that the Strait of Hormuz will solely be opened as soon as Iran has been compensated for the price of the conflict.
- 🎧 NPR’s Mara Liasson says the U.S. Air Power officer’s rescue was good for the president, and would have been worse if it had devolved right into a hostage scenario. However she provides a reminder that the scenario occurred as a result of Iran shot down a U.S. fighter jet, although Trump stated the U.S. had completely destroyed the nation’s navy capabilities. Liasson says the president’s back-and-forth on his objectives for the Strait of Hormuz gives the look that he does not have a transparent political technique. It is a powerful spot for the president throughout a midterm yr, Liasson says, since his approval charges are low and he ran on a promise to not begin international wars.
- ➡️ Lebanon’s authorities says Israel has killed no less than 54 medics for the reason that conflict with Iran started. Some human rights teams say first responders are being focused — one thing that Israel denies.
NASA’s Artemis II crew is predicted to make its closest strategy to the moon this afternoon, after launching from the Kennedy Area Heart final week. Because the Orion house capsule loops across the moon, the astronauts will go farther in house than any people earlier than them.
- 🎧 A staff of lunar scientists on Earth has recognized 35 targets on the floor of the moon for the astronauts to watch and {photograph}, in line with Central Florida Public Media’s Brendan Byrne. He says that although robots already circle and {photograph} the moon, the human eye can see issues cameras cannot. The astronauts’ information will give scientists a greater understanding of the moon and assist them choose touchdown websites for future robotic missions.
- đź“· The Artemis II crew has already delivered placing postcards from their journey. Try these jaw-dropping pictures of Earth and behind-the-scenes pictures of what they have been as much as within the cabin.
An replace to the People with Disabilities Act (ADA) rules, set to take impact on the finish of the month, might make it simpler for blind college students to navigate their faculty schooling. The brand new rule set new requirements for what accessibility ought to appear like. “Simply as stairs can exclude individuals who use wheelchairs from accessing authorities buildings, inaccessible net content material and cell apps can exclude folks with a variety of disabilities,” the rule says. The ADA has lengthy required net accessibility, however the authorities had by no means established particular technical requirements. NPR spoke to college students who’re blind. They shared how a scarcity of digital accessibility has blocked their educations and made them really feel forgotten.
At this time present host Savannah Guthrie returns to her place as co-anchor in the present day, greater than two months after her mom, Nancy Guthrie, went lacking. Nancy Guthrie was final seen on the evening of Jan. 31. Questions nonetheless linger about her whereabouts. The Guthrie household has publicly responded to ransom notes with video messages providing to pay for his or her mom’s return house, however they haven’t obtained a response. Savannah Guthrie stated that her mom largely impressed her to return to work regardless of her grief. “I will not let disappointment win. For her,” she stated.
Life recommendation
It’s vital that {couples} discuss cash as quickly as they will and be susceptible to one another about their funds, in line with entrepreneur and writer Vivian Tu. She says the primary time she bought “financially bare” in entrance of her accomplice, it was out of desperation. She had simply began her profession on Wall Road, she had no cash and had simply damaged her lease on a roach-infested New York Metropolis condominium. She says opening as much as her accomplice strengthened their relationship, and ultimately they bought married. In her e-book Properly Endowed, she affords younger folks recommendation on making main monetary selections. She shares with Life Equipment questions {couples} ought to ask one another in the event that they need to get “financially bare” with one another.
- đź’µ You can begin speaking about cash on the primary date if you happen to come at it from a enjoyable place. The reply to a query like, “If I gave you $100,000 to plan an ideal two-week trip, what would that appear like?” might inform you numerous about an individual.
- đź’µ Earlier than deciding to change into unique with a accomplice, focus on issues like what your profession goals are, whether or not you need to purchase a house and the place you need to cool down. Take note of how your accomplice spends their cash. This information might help you determine whether or not this particular person will match into your life.
- đź’µ Should you’re eager about transferring in and you have not had any cash conversations but, now could be the time. Discuss what you make, what you might have, what you owe by way of debt and what your bills are each month.
- đź’µ The conversations should not cease with long-term companions. Maintain setting objectives and asking questions like whether or not you need a household and the way huge you need it to be.
Image present
Stays of the Gunsight Mine on the Nopah Mountain Vary in Dying Valley, California on Sunday March 22, 2026. Photographs for NPR by Krystal Ramirez
Krystal Ramirez for NPR
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Krystal Ramirez for NPR
Botanist Naomi Fraga has spent greater than 15 years trying to gather seeds from the uncommon Dying Valley sage for safekeeping in a vault of native California seeds. She’s come again empty-handed each time. The plant is difficult to review and pattern, and local weather change threatens its existence. Fraga usually hikes up mountainsides and drives on backroads to search out it. Some years, it does not flower in any respect, so there will not be any seeds. However an enormous bloom this yr offers Fraga one other likelihood to assemble seeds. See pictures of what she’s present in Dying Valley to date.
3 issues to know earlier than you go
Rapper and producer Ye, also referred to as Kanye West, seen earlier than a 2025 live performance in Shanghai.
Hector Retamal/AFP by way of Getty Photographs
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Hector Retamal/AFP by way of Getty Photographs
- The Wi-fi Pageant in North London has misplaced a number of main sponsors and drawn criticism from Prime Minister Keir Starmer after it introduced that Ye would headline the pageant for its whole three-night run in July.
- The Writers Guild of America has reached a tentative settlement for a brand new contract with Hollywood studios. In 2023, the WGA went on a strike that lasted all summer time and delayed manufacturing schedules for months.
- Political instability and pure disasters hampered attendance at American museums in 2025, in line with The Artwork Newspaper’s annual survey of “the world’s 100 most visited artwork museums.”
This article was edited by Treye Inexperienced.